This invention relates generally to a spring tension carriers of braiding machines and more particularly, to a weighted hook assembly for such spring tension carrier.
Spring tension carriers of a high speed braiding machines generally includes an intermediate thread guide along which one end of a thread payed out of the thread bobbin is guided, a weighted hook provided downstream of the intermediate thread guide in the path of the thread to guide the thread from the intermediate thread guide and along the hook portion of a curved and a second thread guide provided downstream of the hook in the path of the thread to guide the thread from the hook and to the braiding mechanism of the braiding machine where the thread is braided together with other threads which are guided by the other similar spring tension carriers in the same braiding machine. In the conventional spring tension carrier in a braiding machine, the weighted thread guiding hook has been conventionally formed of a length of snail wire or by bending a piece of steel plate into a hook shape and then plating the snail wire or bent steel plate with chrome or copper. The hook is then mounted on a weight. However, the conventional hook has the disadvantage that when the braiding machine is operated at a high speed, the hook becomes worn prematurely and as a result, the hook has a short service life.